Mayor deflates casino plan for Olympics site

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Mayor Richard Daley quickly shot down the idea of a casino on the site of what would have been the 2016 Olympic Village.

Aldermen Richard Mell, 33rd, and George Cardenas, 12th, floated the plan Thursday. But on Friday, a week after Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Games was denied, Daley said he expects new homes to replace the old Michael Reese Hospital on the 37-acre site. The city recently bought it for $91 million.

"I don't know why everybody is going around thinking casinos are the answers to all the problems of society," the mayor said. "I would be against that completely."

After hearing of Daley's disapproval, Mell and Cardenas gave up.

"We have to have buy-in from the mayor to have a chance," Cardenas said.